According to the World Health Organization; “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
Therefore, when we talk about health, we talk about the overall well-being of an individual.
Finally, the time has come to put mobile devices to better use, to improve human lives. Now it is possible to imagine a society in which diseases, and all its related pains and sufferings they bring, go extinct.
A world we can dream of in which people are healthy, until end-of-life. Such a society is within the realm of scientific possibilities, but only if we can leverage the growth of mobile technology for healthcare.
The imagination can soon be turned into a reality with the advent of digital transformation in healthcare. Mobile applications for healthcare, commonly termed as mHealth, is all set to empower the healthcare industry in the coming future.
At a global level, things have already started to take shape. Mobile technology in healthcare and the medical field is opening up new paths for this generation.
Indeed, healthcare and mobile app development opportunities are expanding its vistas for a better world.
Let’s explore the benefits of healthcare app development with examples of successful healthcare apps, discuss the challenges and limitations of healthcare app development, and highlight the potential for future innovation in this exciting field.
Integrating mobile apps into the healthcare industry offers numerous benefits. These advantages are changing the way healthcare providers interact with their patients and improve healthcare outcomes.
Below are some of the key benefits of incorporating mobile apps in healthcare:
Enhanced Patient Experience and Engagement
Mobile apps can provide patients with a more personalized and satisfactory healthcare experience.
They offer an easy way to access medical information, schedule appointments, communicate with healthcare providers, and receive personalized healthcare advice, giving patients more control over their healthcare journey.
Increased Accessibility to Healthcare Services
Using mobile apps patients can access healthcare services from anywhere, anytime, and on any device.
Patients with mobility issues, those living in remote areas or those without easy access to transportation can easily access healthcare services through mobile apps, removing barriers to healthcare access.
Streamlined Communication between Patients and Healthcare Providers
Seamless communication between patients and healthcare providers is now possible using mHealth applications. Patients can communicate with their providers, share medical records, and receive timely responses, leading to improved healthcare outcomes.
Efficient and Accurate Management of Medical Data
Mobile apps can help healthcare providers streamline administrative tasks like scheduling, billing, and provide access to real-time patient data. This capability can lead to improved healthcare efficiency and help providers make informed decisions about patient care.
Healthcare Apps that are Empowering Healthcare Industry
The rise of mobile app technology has brought about significant changes in the healthcare industry. Innovative healthcare apps have been developed to address a wide range of healthcare challenges and to improve the quality of patient care.
Some examples of innovative healthcare apps are below:
Telemedicine Apps
Telemedicine app development have made healthcare more accessible by connecting patients with healthcare providers through virtual consultations.
Telemedicine apps such as Teladoc, Doctor on Demand, and Amwellapps offer a variety of healthcare services, such as video consultations, medical advice, and prescription services.
Fitness and Wellness Apps
Fitness and wellness apps are designed to promote healthy lifestyles by providing customized workout plans, nutrition advice, and progress tracking.
These apps encourage users to maintain healthy habits and engage in physical activity, leading to improved overall health.
Examples of successful fitness and wellness apps include MyFitnessPal, Fitbit, and Strava.
Medication Reminder Apps
Patients can manage their medication schedules effectively with the assistance of medication reminder apps. These apps send alerts to remind patients to take their medication and keep track of their intake, guaranteeing that they never miss a dose.
Medisafe and Mango Health are examples of popular medication reminder apps that have enhanced medication adherence.
Mental Health Apps
Mental health applications furnish individuals with resources to handle their mental health and overall well-being. Such applications offer a variety of tools for stress management, meditation, and cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Notable examples of effective mental health apps include Headspace, Talkspace, and Calm, which have assisted individuals in managing their mental health.
Challenges in healthcare app development
Although healthcare apps come with various advantages, they encounter a number of obstacles and restrictions. The following are some of the challenges confronted by developers of healthcare apps:
Confidentiality of data
All mobile applications collect some sort of data as soon as you install them. A healthcare application on the other side collect more sensitive data than that of any other application.
These data include information such as diagnosis, health reading, information monitoring, and other crucial stats.
To protect confidentiality of data there’s an act called HIPPA which stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
HIPPA consists of a set of guidelines that makes sure that the data is confidential and secure. All the healthcare apps must have HIPPA compliance to function.
Managing big data
With the use of big data in healthcare, you can predict epidemics, improve quality of life, and come up with medicines for curing diseases.
Presently, we have some major applications for big data in healthcare such as: Deepmind Health by Google, IBM Watson, and Johnson and Johnson’s Sedasys system.
All these projects use AI (artificial intelligence) for two purposes: 1. To sort big data and 2. To provide treatments that are disrupting the fitness, healthcare, and wellness sector.
It’s true that AI has successfully managed Big Data; however, it has some limitations. These limitations are that, the precision and credibility of an AI doesn’t match with that of human intelligence.
User Experience
With an increasing number of healthcare apps on the market, users have a plethora of options. As a result, it is critical for businesses to develop healthcare apps with an intuitive and user-friendly interface that can cater to the diverse needs of users.
Since healthcare apps collect sensitive data, users have high expectations regarding the design, functionality, and security of the app. Healthcare app developers must focus on creating a seamless and engaging user experience that promotes trust and reliability.
The user experience must be personalized to meet the specific requirements of each user. Personalization involves understanding user preferences, behavior, and past interactions with the app. This data can be used to develop tailored experiences that cater to individual needs.
Integration with existing systems
In many cases, healthcare apps need to work in conjunction with legacy healthcare systems, electronic health records (EHRs), and other healthcare applications. So, it requires seamless data sharing and interoperability between different systems.
Healthcare systems are often complex and have different data formats, APIs, and security protocols. Ensuring seamless integration between healthcare apps and existing systems is a major challenge that requires careful planning and execution.
To overcome this challenge, healthcare app developers need to work closely with healthcare providers and IT departments to ensure compatibility with existing systems. This may involve developing custom APIs, data mapping, and testing to ensure data accuracy and consistency.
Managing market trends
Healthcare industry is a volatile industry in the sense that we keep seeing new trends every year. This volatile nature is due to transformation in people’s living habits and technological interference in healthcare.
Investors from all around the world are constantly looking for solutions that seamlessly integrate with current trends of the healthcare industry.
However, we know the volatile nature of the healthcare industry which makes it challenging for investors to build an app that suits the current trend.
For example, technologies like Machine learning, Deep learning, and IoT are some of the most talked about trends in the field of healthcare.
Investors too have a keen eye on these trends and try to adopt them to bring a disruptive transformation in the industry.
However, not all mobile app development companies are able to integrate these technologies with precision. Thus, keeping up with ever-changing trends in healthcare becomes difficult.
For global citizens, this is a boon. While for app-driven businesses, this is an amazing opportunity.
An opportunity, which not only ensures some whooping revenues, but also a golden prospect to take advantage of technology to serve a bigger purpose and leave an impactful mark on this generation of the human species.
Future of Healthcare App Development
The healthcare app development sector is anticipated to experience remarkable expansion in the future, with the market size predicted to achieve 49.2 billion USD in 2023 and 105.9 billion USD by 2030, indicating a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.6% from 2023 to 2030.
These figures imply that healthcare app development is poised to have a more significant impact on the healthcare industry. Numerous significant trends are fueling the growth of healthcare app development, including:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)
The development of healthcare apps is anticipated to greatly benefit from the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). These advanced technologies have the potential to aid in various applications, such as patient monitoring, diagnosis, and personalized treatment recommendations.
Internet of Things (IoT)
The implementation of IoT in healthcare can enable healthcare apps to harness the power of IoT technology to connect with a variety of sensors and devices.
By doing so, it becomes possible to constantly monitor patients' health data in real-time. This integration of IoT in healthcare can lead to early detection of illnesses, more proactive healthcare, and more efficient treatment processes.
Wearable Devices
The popularity of wearable devices is on the rise among consumers, and it's expected that healthcare apps will take advantage of these devices to enhance patient monitoring and care.
With the ability to monitor vital signs, activity levels, and other health-related data, wearable devices can seamlessly integrate with healthcare apps.
Blockchain Technology
Utilizing blockchain technology can assist in the secure and transparent maintenance of health records, granting patients control over their medical data.
Moreover, this technology can also alleviate security and privacy apprehensions associated with healthcare applications.
Increased Personalization
AI and ML technologies are expected to play a greater role in healthcare apps, allowing for more personalized treatment recommendations and health plans based on individual patient data.
Conclusion
The healthcare industry is experiencing a significant transformation through the development of mobile apps that provide innovative solutions to enhance patient care and outcomes.
The impact of mobile technology in healthcare cannot be overstated, as it has the potential to increase access to care, improve patient engagement and communication, and reduce healthcare costs.
However, there are also challenges that must be addressed, such as compliance with healthcare regulations and security concerns. By developing secure and compliant healthcare apps that prioritize patient privacy and data security, healthcare app development companies can help build trust with patients and providers alike.
Looking ahead, the future of healthcare mobile app development is promising, with emerging technologies and increasing personalization expected to drive innovation in the field. As healthcare continues to evolve, mobile technology will remain a critical tool for enhancing patient outcomes and experiences.
